The Secrets of Serenity
by Michael Weyer
Summary: An off-shoot of "Survivor's Hearts." The Doctor and the Rani find their way onboard Serenity where they're soon on a quest to discover the truth behind this galaxy...and the truth behind one Mal Reynolds.
1. Chapter 1

**The Secrets of Serenity**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Doctor Who owned by the BBC**

**Firefly owned by Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. **

** This story hit me as an off-shoot of my tale "Survivor's Hearts." It's not totally necessary to read that first but here's the skinny: On a trip to 2009 Los Angeles, the 10****th**** Doctor (post season 4) discovers that Adelle Dewitt (of the series **_**Dollhouse**_**) is actually his old Time Lord rival the Rani. Despite their issues (mainly the Rani's past as an amoral geneticist) the two last Time Lords decide to travel together. And before you write this off as just another Who/Firefly crossover….well, at least read all the way through.**

* * *

The familiar grinding and whining sound echoed through the otherwise empty cargo hold, a wind kicking up from nowhere as the blue box slowly came to be in physical space. There was a pause for a moment before the door opened to reveal the Doctor. He was clad in his usual suit, brown this time out, with dark tire, bright tennis shoes and long coat, his dark hair framing his handsome face as he looked about. "All clear," he called out.

The Rani stepped out as well, her own short dark hair framing a face of beauty but also an intensity. She was clad in dark slacks and a stylish blazer with a ruffled top and a scarf around her throat. She adjusted it as she looked about. "Was it really necessary to do a full scan first?"

"I learned the hard way to always make sure what is right outside the TARDIS before I open the doors," the Doctor replied with a shudder.

The Rani glanced about. "Yet, you haven't been able to figure out more than immediate area. Because this does not look like Organo IV during the Tri-Moon."

The Doctor frowned as he looked about. "Huh. Interesting." He calmly paced about taking in what appeared to be the cargo hold of a ship of some sort. "Wonder if this has anything to do with that shake-up we felt coming in?"

"I simply wrote that up to your usual lack of flying skills," the Rani stated as she followed him carefully and studied the ship's interior. "Earth design. Humans always have the most mundane construction for their ships. Never understood that."

"Well, we can't all enjoy the design work of Gallifrey," the Doctor stated. He let a finger trail over one of the crates inside as he continued to pace. "Huh, rather quiet here. You'd think they'd have someone on standby in case-"

A familiar clicking sound froze them in place. They both looked up to see a heavyset man with five o'clock shadow aiming a large rifle at them. He was wearing jeans and a greasy shirt, the large gun in his hands an odd contrast to the rather odd-looking hat on his head. "Don't be trying anything, _wangbadan!" _

The Doctor raised his hands as he leaned in to the Rani. "Word of advice. When a man dares to wear a hat like that in public, it's best to do what he says."

"Good point," the Rani conceded, also holding up her hands. They watched as the man carefully moved down, his rifle never leaving them. "How'd you get on board?" he growled

"Ah, that," the Doctor nodded to the TARDIS behind them. The man looked at it in confusion and back at the duo. "I'm assuming you're not the man in charge?"

"If he says 'take me to your leader,' I'd advise shooting him just on the principle of the thing," the Rani flatly stated.

The man narrowed his eyes before gesturing with the rifle. "Ahead, hands up, move and I blow you _ai ya_ head off." The two Time Lords moved and allowed him to push them forward. "Interesting to hear Chinese spoken this far," the Doctor mused as they made their way out of the hold and down a long passageway. They had gone a few steps when a door opened to reveal an attractive young woman, grease standing her overalls and dark brown hair but still not hiding her looks. "Hey, Jayne, we…" She started as she saw the two held at gunpoint. "Where did they come from?"

"What I'm about to find out," Jayne remarked. "Just get back, Kaylee, might get a bit messy."

The girl named Kaylee backed up as Jayne continued to nudge the two forward at gunpoint. They were soon entering the cockpit of the ship, which was just as run-down as the rest of it. At the controls was a handsome young man with short blond hair, dressed in light slacks and a shirt. Standing nearby was a tall and athletic black woman, strikingly beautiful but clearly a fighter by the way she grabbed a pistol out of a hip holster at the sight of the entrants. Her long curly hair framed her cool features, wearing men's pants and a vest. The final member of this group was clad in a dark brown shirt with suspenders and matching pants, a long brown coat over them with boots and was rather handsome with light brown hair, his eyebrows widening at the sight of the trio. "_Shensheng de gaowan_, where the hell did you two come from?"

"The common question of the day," the Doctor said, engaging in his bright smile. "Pleased to meet you. I'm the Doctor and this is my companion, the Rani."

"Companion?" the man's eyes raked over the Rani and a smirk came to his lips. "Huh, at least you stowaway in style. But that still pertains to my early question."

"Oh, we're just passing through," the Doctor brushed aside. "By the way, can we lower our hands, gets rather tiring, Captain…."

"Mal Reynolds," he answered. "And fine, lower them. But Zoe here will keep you covered." The black woman seemed more than ready to obey her captain. "Now to return to my previous path of inquiry, how the rutting hell did you get on my boat?"

"Oh, just traveling, made a wrong turn, showed up here," the Doctor nonchalantly answered. "Really, didn't expect to pop up here."

"He gets lost rather easily," the Rani stated.

Mal looked the Doctor up and down and nodded in acceptance of that. "So you figured sneaking on board my ship was a good way to haul yourselves?'

"I beg your pardon, I do not sneak anywhere!" the Doctor indignantly said.

"It's true," the Rani added. "Ten thousand versions of 'stealth' in the universe and this man has no concept of any of them."

Mal frowned as he stepped forward. "Now, I'm trying to be all polite-like, as I prefer that over a lot of fighting and bloodshed. However, we've had some…issues in the past with unwanted passengers so I am not mindful to more of the same."

"Captain, I assure you, my companion and myself have no interest in your ship or your crew," the Doctor stated. "Oh, by the way, can you tell me the year?"

A set of matching baffled stares answered him. "What _luh-suh_ is that?" Zoe asked.

"Just…please?"

Mal shrugged. "2517."

"Hmmmm…" the Doctor mused. "Interesting. Most interesting." He brightened suddenly. "Well, then, thank you for that. Now, I assume you'll be landing somewhere soon, we can just be let off there, go on our way, you go on yours, nice to have that settled, by the way, I'm a tad puckish, you have a kitchen ehre, never mind, I'll find it." With that, he turned, brushing past Jayne and out of the cockpit before anyone could stop him.

The Rani backed up. "His behavior can be…well, you must know." She shrugged as she began to follow the Doctor.

"Hey!" Mal yelled. "You cause any trouble and you're floating out of here, _dohn ma?"_

As the Rani left, Mal ran a hand through his hair. "This is insane."

"Don't look at me," Wash stated from the pilot's seat. "I don't do security."

"Mal, I checked the damn hold before we took off," Jayne snapped. "They weren't there and neither was that big blue box of theirs."

"Blue box?" Mal frowned deeply. "What blue box?"

* * *

The Doctor was whistling as he entered the galley as nonchalantly as if he'd been there a hundred times. That attitude threw the people inside. One was an elderly black man with white hair pulled into a ponytail, a light smile on his face and dressed in black. The second was a young man with a serious-looking face, dark hair and a stylish suit of his own. The third, however, caught the Doctor's interest right off. She was about sixteen, very pretty with dark hair falling about her china-doll face. Her frame was clad in a simple dress but her eyes…the moment the Doctor saw those eyes, he saw something about this girl.

"Hello," he said with a smile. "Sorry to intrude, just looking for something to eat. I'm the Doctor by the way."

"Doctor?" the girl frowned. "Simon is the doctor, the protector of our blood." She cocked her head, studying him. "But you…you are the one of the storms. The lonely man who strides across the stars."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "I am," he quietly said.

"River," the young man stated. "You know this man?"

"It's all right, Simon," the girl stated with a smile. "He's here to help us. To break the bonds of the stars that hold us back in the board."

The Rani entered at that moment to take them in. "A motley assemblage," she couldn't help remarking.

"Ah, yes, this is my companion, the Rani," the Doctor introduced and once again saw those odd looks of understanding.

"Companion?" a smooth voice came from behind. "I didn't expect competition." The two turned as an elegantly beautiful woman stepped into the room. She was clad in a stylish red dress, her face nicely made up to show her beauty with long curly black hair in a braid. "Inara." She extended a hand.

"The Doctor." He took it to kiss it warmly as the Rani rolled her eyes. "We're just passing through."

"Funny way of doing it," the elderly man stated. "Shepherd Book."

"Pleasure," the Doctor nodded. It was at that moment the loudspeaker crackled. _"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I would ask for an impromptu meeting in the galley right after our…guests are given proper quarters. Thank you very much."_

"Well, guess we should settle in," the Doctor said brightly as the Rani once more wondered at the man's grasp of reality.

* * *

"So what do we know?" Mal asked the gathered crew.

"The man is off," Simon stated.

"Tactful analysis as ever, doc."

"I mean it," Simon pressed. "He treats this as nothing more than some game."

"Not sure bout that," Zoe stated. "I don't think he's quite the fool he seems."

"No one could be quite the fool he seems," Simon pointed out.

"He's no fool." All eyes turned to River. The girl was lounging on a table, her head on her knees as she stared out. "No fool at all. He's the lost one who can break the darkness. His friend can aid, with her own dark side to help shine the light at last."

Mal rubbed his temple. "Doc, I know she has her moods but is it possible she's actually on point on something with those two?"

Simon knelt to his sister. "River. River, look at me." She did so, even if her gaze seemed distant. "These two…are they dangerous?"

"Yes," she flatly answered. "But not to us. Only to the one who plays with the pieces of our boards."

Jayne snorted. _"Tyen-sah, _why are we asking the nutjob anything?"

"Watch it, Jayne," Simon snapped.

"There's also that box of theirs," Mal stated. "The one they somehow managed to get on board without any of us knowing about it. Kaylee?"

The mechanic shrugged from her seat. "I took a look at it like you asked, Cap'n. Just a big box, made of wood, locked pretty tight, can't get to it with just tools. I think it's one of those special locks, needs specific person to open it."

"High-end," Mal noted. "As in possibly Alliance."

"They don't look like Alliance agents," Kaylee said. She frowned. "Although, second thought, that would be the point, wouldn't it?"

"The Companion does seem a bit more intense than the usual sort," Mal noted. "Course, if I was paid to have to be with that fella, I'd be a mite upset as well."

"We'll just have to play it cool," Jayne said. He became aware of the stares being thrown at him. "What?" He wiped at his face to see if something was stuck to it.

Wash coughed. "Ah, I do have to ask how this will pertain to our current job?"

"Fair question," Mal noted. "All right, here's how it works. We land and Kaylee keeps an eye on those two. Simon, you'll stay here with River, Book can help Kaylee while we finish the deal."

"Sounds risky, sir," Zoe stated.

"Risk brings reward, Zoe."

"Then how come we're always broke?"

"Shut up, Wash."

* * *

Inara's shuttle was designed to evoke comfort, that was clear. The lush red carpeting and pillowed couches were a far cry from the grime of the ship it was attached to. Inara herself was pouring tea out of a lovely china pot into a pair of matching cups. "Hope you don't mind a slight aftertaste," she stated. "We're not as caught up on supplies so far."

"You seem an odd member of a crew like this," the Doctor noted.

"Oh, I'm not part of the crew," she answered. "Captain Reynolds and I simply have a….business understanding." She smiled at the Rani. "I'm sure you can relate."

The Rani frowned. "I'm not sure I do." She sipped her tea, pausing to nod. "Not too bad."

"I got the recipe from an old volume I found," Inara said as she sipped her own. "It actually came from Earth-That-Was."

"Was what?" the Doctor asked.

Inara frowned. "That was. Before we had to leave."

"Leave?" The Doctor frowned. "Whatever for? I don't recall the last wars being too difficult, not in this time period."

Inara stared at him, baffled. "Ah, I'm talking about how the entire population had to leave centuries ago. The pollution got too much?" She saw the blank look on the Doctor's face. "And we had to terraform planets to survive? The Alliance taking over?"

For once, the Rani had the same confused expression as the Doctor as she looked to the man. "That didn't happen. Even you must know that and you were eight levels behind me in Earth history classes."

"Six," the Doctor off-handedly replied. "Although you are correct on that previous point." He leaned back sipping his tea. "Hmmm….I do believe we may be staying longer than I anticipated."

"You didn't even know we were coming here."

"Precisely my point."

Oddly, this wasn't the most bizarre conversation Inara had ever been witness to. Although that did not fill her with much confidence.

* * *

The outside of the ship wasn't much better than the inside. It looked like an old bird of prey, the hull clearly cracked and faltering in various places and the only bright spot the large sun with the word _Serenity_ painted on its side. It was docked in a spaceport with ships that were clearly better supplied and built, the heat of engines adding to that pouring down from the sun above. The air was dusty as the crew of the ship exited, the Doctor and the Rani unable not to notice the arms worn by Mal, Jayne and Zoe.

"All right, folks," Mal announced in a friendly tone. "This is just a brief stopover while we handle a small business deal. Doctor and Rani, you two can tour a bit, Kaylee and Book will make sure you're okay while they get supplies of their own. We'll meet here in an hour or so, should be good." With that, he led Zoe and Jayne off, leaving the others behind.

"Supply run?" The Rani raised an eyebrow as the rest of the group began to walk to the small town outside the dock area. "You honestly think we don't know your little crew are pirates?"

"What?" Kaylee's high-pitched laugh was far too forced. "We're not pirates!"

The Rani stared at her and Kaylee visibly withered in seconds. "We're not. We're more like...smugglers if anything, totally different!"

"Right," the Rani intoned as they kept walking. The town wasn't very large, a series of ramshackle buildings, none over three stories, spread over what would be a few city blocks. People were mingling in a variety of dress, some riding horses, others pulling carts, the ground muddy from a recent rainfall. Kaylee was whistling lightly as they made their way to what appeared to be some sort of general store. "All right, got the list, shouldn't be too hard, hope they have those bars River likes, she gets upset when she's off them."

The Rani was finding her cheeriness more than slightly annoying as Kaylee entered the store. Book was standing by the doorway to study them. "So…Doctor…where are you from?"

"Oh, here and there," the Doctor answered. "You?"

"Much the same," Book replied. He looked the Doctor over, his face growing pensive and yet a slight glint to his eyes. "You…never did explain how you got on board the ship. Much like you seem to not talk much of what you do."

The Doctor looked right back at him with the same expression. "And you don't share how a man of faith obviously had a past as a soldier." Off the reverend's look, he shrugged. "I've been around soldiers enough to know one, no matter how he hides it." His eyes narrowed. "Or is that something your colleagues aren't supposed to know about?"

Book just looked back at him as if understanding in a new way. "Book?" Kaylee's voice called out from the store. "I need some help with these!" Book backed up before entering, but still looking after the Doctor.

The Doctor turned to see the Rani leaning on a saddle post, her gaze sweeping over the town. He moved to join her, also leaning on the post, his hands in his coat pocket. "So….what do we have?"

"2517 and these people believe Earth is an uninhabitable wasteland. No ships with faster-than-light capability yet they are able to find a star system with supposedly hundreds of planets and moons able to handle life. The terraforming process appears to be far more advanced than technology like that should be with a race sans FTL capabilities. People appear to be using old-styled projectile weapons, no lasers or plasma devices and a civilization of the 26th century looks more like the 19th American West."

The Doctor nodded as he took her analysis in. "Rani, my dear, something is most rotten around here."

"From the smells in my nose, quite a few things are rotten around here."

The Doctor ignored that. "I mean it, Rani. Something is quite, quite wrong. And so, I do believe it's time we found out what." With that, he pushed himself off the post and marched confidently down the main street of the town. Sighing, the Rani followed him, once more wishing they had just gone on a trip to a beach planet like she'd suggested.

Kaylee was exiting the store when she stared at the empty spot. "Oh, _gao se_," she groaned.

* * *

In the course of a long career in a dirty business, Mal Reynolds had learned that entering a deal with a friendly smile and a shotgun got you much further than just a friendly smile.

He was putting that philosophy to the test as he, Zoe and Jayne stood before the five men in a dark warehouse, his lips pulled into a smile as he tapped the crate before them. "Now, I know we're a tad late and all but we can still pull your delivery off."

The leader of the men, a short and squat balding mal in an ill-fitting suit, took a drag off a cigar. "I have concerns over the fact you were late."

"Just a few minutes," Mal stated. "Ran into some…delays along the way with unexpected travelers. But we're here now and ready to cart this off."

The man blew out his cloud of smoke. "Reynolds, I was warned hiring you all was a risk. I'm taking a chance but I need to know you're reliable."

"Reliable is my middle name," Mal stated. "Well, it's not but no need to get into my family dynamics right now."

"I do believe he's calling into question our honor, sir," Zoe said.

"Now, that's like talking about the dodo. Hard to question something that doesn't exist."

The cigar-smoking man glared at Zoe. "You always let your woman make the talk, Reynolds?"

"First, she's not my woman," Mal said, letting some edge come into his tone. "Second, I can assure you that Zoe is far from the most intimidating woman I have known."

"Beg pardon, sir?"

"Sorry, Zoe, but you never knew my mother."

"Point taken, sir."

The cigar-smoking man coughed as he waved a hand to get their attention. "We need this moved now, Reynolds. We have an agent breathing down our necks to get their hands on this and us in jail. Ship this to Canton and you'll get paid there."

"We'd better," Mal said with the edge in his voice growing. "We don't like double-crosses."

"Relax, Reynolds, as long as things run smoothly, we'll-"

The door to the room burst open as the Doctor waltzed in with a light smile. "Ah, Captain Reynolds, there you are!"

_"Qingwa cao de liumang,_ what are you doing here?!" Mal yelled. The men beside the cigar-smoker had the weapons out but the Doctor didn't seem to notice. The Rani was following him, her senses alert as she took in the situation while the Doctor, as usual, kept his focus on Reynolds. "We have much to talk about."

"Doctor," Mal snapped through gritted teeth. "Kind of in the middle of something here."

"That's all right, it can wait," the Doctor waved off, leaning a hand right on the crate. "I'm most concerned about the state of this galaxy of yours and your history. I think we need to have a long discussion regarding it."

Mal just stared in disbelief before looking at the Rani. "Is this guy cracked?"

"Shattered, in my opinion," the Rani answered, her own eyes never leaving the four men who appeared ready to raise their guns up. "Doctor, I would truly advise trying to hold back that incessant need for attention of yours but this isn't our business."

"It involves time, Rani, that is our business."

"In what possible way is that our business?"

"We're Time Lords."

"Oh, _now_ you want us to live up to our name. After all the tirades in school about the backward mentality and stubborn-headed way they kept to themselves…"

"You had the same concerns."

"That was because of how they limited me, not because-"

"Excuse me!" the cigar-smoking man yelled out. "Reynolds, if this is your way of working a deal-"

"Chalky, trust me, this is just a brief inner hiccup," Mal quickly said. "Believe me, we run our operation far more efficiently than this, give us a job and it'll all be smooth sailing…"

The door was kicked open hard as a figure entered, a large pistol held in each hand. "Everyone, freeze!"

"Oh for the love of…." Mal groaned. One of the men was raising his gun but the figure let out a blast that knocked it away. "I said, don't move!"

"Actually, you said, freeze, that's really a…."

"Shut up, Doctor!" the Rani snapped, raising her hands up.

The figure was moving into the main light of the room, the gun steady and aimed at both sides of the crate. She was a strikingly beautiful woman with dark brown hair cut short to the nape of her neck. Her face was marked with a sharp nose and lovely eyes, beautiful but also intense and professional. She was clad in dark black jeans with matching boots and a top that had a zipper up the front and did little to hide her athletic, yet shapely body. She stepped closer, her eyes going over everyone in front of her. "Now the first one of you _wangbadan_ who tries anything is going to….to…" Her voice trailed off as her eyes fell on Mal, going as wide as her mouth as she froze in place.

Normally, Zoe and Jayne would have taken advantage of this distraction to pull their weapons out. However, they were both too taken aback by the fact that Mal had the exact same look of utter shock on his own face as he stared at the woman. The two were locked in that bizarre match, both trying to work their jaws, Mal's voice rasping out first.

_"Beckett?!"_

_ "Castle?!"_

They looked each other over before yelling in unison. _"How did YOU get into the future?"_

The Rani closed her eyes before leaning in toward Zoe. "Tell me…does the Doctor currently have on his face a smile radiating both triumph and childlike glee?"

"He does, at that."

Tightening her eyes, the Rani's usual calm and cool exterior finally melted. _"Ni tama de tianxia suoyou de ren duo gaisi!"_

"Now that's a statement of adoration I can get behind," the Doctor smile broadly.

* * *

**I've seen a dozen fics of the idea with Castle having once been Mal Reynolds. Yet I'm amazed no one has touched on the other obvious idea: What if Mal Reynolds was once Richard Castle? Provided enough interest, answers to come along with more on the secrets of the Firefly universe. All comments welcomed. **


	2. Chapter 2

**The Secrets of Serenity**

**By Michael Weyer**

* * *

Mal and the woman he called Beckett continued to stare at each other in utter shock as the rest of the group exchanged confused glances. "Castle," Beckett whispered. "I…how…"

"Kate?" Mal blurted. "I thought…I mean, I figured by now, you'd be…"

"Sir?" Zoe asked, confusion on her face. "You know her?"

"Sir?" Beckett snorted. "What the hell, Castle? Since when have you rated a 'sir' from anyone?"

"Excuse me!" the man with the cigar snapped. "But this is not your affair, lady and…."

That snapped Beckett out of her stunned state as she straightened, guns held up. "Okay…everyone hands up now!" She glanced at the man. "You guys are coming with me! You've got a major price on your heads and I'm ready to collect!"

"We're not going anywhere," he snarled as several of his colleagues reached for their guns.

"Oh, this is not going well," the Doctor remarked.

"Best to leave then?" the Rani asked.

"What and miss the inevitable fun?"

The Rani peered at him. "If I didn't know you better…I'd be a much happier person."

Mal licked his lips and held up his hands. "Kate…listen, this really is not a situation you want to get into…"

"It's my job, Castle."

"It's Mal Reynolds now."

"Really?" she scoffed. "Not Derrick Storm?"

"Thought it was a bit on the nose."

"Like anyone knows here would know who you are."

"Now, wait a minute, they still have books."

Beckett just stared at him with a bemused expression. "You're going to tell me that 500 years in the future, people care about Richard Castle books?"

Mal shrugged. "Could happen."

A very loud series of clicking sounds echoed through the warehouse as the argument was cut off. Slowly, Mal and his crewmates turned their heads to see a dozen men with rifles stepping out of the shadows of the warehouse. "Now, see, I was really hoping we'd be avoiding this," Mal calmly said.

Beckett was moving one of her guns to cover the newcomers with a professional stance. The cigar-smoking man smirked as he tapped the case. "Come on, Reynolds, you actually think I'd just hand this over without any fuss?"

"Ah, excuse me," the Doctor piped up. "May I ask a question?"

The man glared at him. "What?"

"Do you happen to know the effects a sonic screwdriver would have on the low-level light field of this neighborhood?"

The man frowned. "No."

"Nor me but I just love new experiences." With that, the Doctor held up his screwdriver and activated it. A high-pitched whine made everyone grab their ears as the lights began smashing apart, sending sparks and glass about. Mal was quick to take action, kicking the table over to knock the dealers back as he and his crew drew their weapons. Beckett was already backing up, firing a pair of shots at the men in the background to scatter them as the Doctor and the Rani ducked behind a nearby large crate.

"Unbelievable," Beckett muttered as she ducked down. "500 years, halfway across the universe and you're _still_ messing up my job!"

"Actually, you're the one messing with mine!" Mal snapped as he yanked his pistol out.

Beckett looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Castle, are you actually going to try and-" She was cut off as Mal rose and fired off a sharp trio of shots, each one taking down an attacking gunman. He ducked down as Beckett stared. "You've improved," she could only say.

Mal smirked as he rose up, Zoe also standing to lay down fire with her rifle. Jayne was moving as well to throw a grenade, the gunmen scattering before it exploded. Beckett was backing up with them as the Doctor and the Rani raced to the nearby exit. "How have I forgotten what life is with you around?" the Rani snapped.

"Well, absence makes the hearts grow fonder."

"I know an absence from you would make my hearts grow fonder."

The Doctor simply smiled as he and the Rani followed the crew through the town square. "Is this a common occurrence with you, Captain?"

Before Mal could reply, a high-pitched scream was heard over the air. More followed and everyone's gazes looked up as a ship flew low over the town. It appeared to be made of various different pieces of other crafts, jagged and adorned with spikes. As they watched, ropes fell from its bay and a host of figures leapt down. Each was burly and clad in dark armor with a bevy of sharp weapons, their presence causing more terror among the townspeople.

_"Gao se," _Mal rasped. "Reavers."

"Shit," Beckett cursed, reloading her guns. "Tell me your boat is close."

"Where's yours?"

"I hitched a ride," Beckett swallowed.

"Mal," Jayne spoke up. "She ain't one of ours."

"She is now," Reynolds snapped as he began running toward the docking area. The others were quick to follow except for the Rani, who was pausing to stare at the figures who had landed and were attacking anyone in their path with sheer brutality. There was something in her expression the Doctor couldn't quite figure out now but that hardly a serious concern at the moment.

The town was a horror by now, people running toward the dock in droves. The Reavers were literally slicing through the crowds, one poor soul torn apart by his limbs. Jayne was turning to fire a rifle blast back at them as they made their way to the docks. One Reaver was charging at them and Mal spun to drop him with a single shot from his pistol. He flopped to the ground and the Rani paused to kneel by him, her compact emitting its scanner over his body. She snapped it shut as she picked up her pace to join the others. The Doctor was naturally curious but figured it could wait.

The engines were already firing up as they made their way to _Serenity_, Simon on the rampway waiting for them. "Captain," he said in a calm voice. "I see the usual state of affairs prevails."

Mal just shoved him aside as they raced in. "Zoe, tell your husband to us the hell out of here!"

"Wait!" Beckett called out. "We can't just leave these people!" She waved a hand to the civilians racing for the nearest ships they could find.

"Watch us," Jayne growled as he pushed her inside and yanked on a lever to raise the ramp. Mal was racing up the rampways, yelling out. "Wash, take us up and out fast!"

The rest of the group was following, Beckett in the rear just as a door opened and Inara exited. "What are you-" she was cut off as Beckett ran into her, the two bouncing off each other. Inara gasped as Beckett was still holding her gun. "Who the hell are you?"

"Introductions later," Beckett snapped as she followed Mal. She was a few steps over when the young form of River stepped into her path. Beckett was brought up short as the girl looked at her with her surprisingly deep eyes. "You. The missing half of his heart brought to his circle at last." A rare smile crossed her lips. "Finally whole in time for the end of the game."

Beckett just blinked in confusion before brushing past the girl to the cockpit. Wash was already lifting the ship up and pulling back on the stick to turned it to the sky. Beckett was glaring at Mal. "We could have taken a couple of those people with us!"

"Reavers come in, every man for himself, Kate," Mal replied. "You should know that by now."

Beckett glared. "Doesn't make it right, Castle."

"Who's Castle?" Wash asked as he flew _Serenity _out of the planet's orbit.

"Apparently, Mal," Zoe said, letting out a breath as they entered space. "Which is a conversation worth having, sir."

Mal set his jaw. "Not open for it, Zoe."

"Tough." His second in command stepped forward, glaring. "Because if she's on this ship, we need to know her full story. And that means knowing yours too."

"Oh, trust me, Castle is more than used to story-telling," Beckett dryly stated.

"Oh, good, I love stories!" the Doctor piped up. "Reminds me of my time with Dickens…"

Mal just frowned before turning to Wash. "Get us going, Wash. Then get everyone in the galley to talk." He rubbed his hair and suddenly looked quite tired. "Just gotta get set for it."

* * *

The crew was settled around the table of the galley, with Beckett leaning on a nearby counter, arms crossed. The Doctor and the Rani were nearby, both with hands in their pockets, the Doctor eager while the Rani was impatiently waiting. Mal was pacing carefully, brushing his hair back. "Okay…this…is gonna sound pretty crazy."

"We've been hanging with River for a year, we should be used to it," Jayne remarked, chewing on an apple.

Mal waved to Beckett. "This is Kate Beckett, formerly homicide detective for the NYPD."

"That some sort of unit from the Browncoats?" Wash asked with a frown.

"Browncoats…" Beckett looked to Castle, noting his long coat. "Wait a minute…you were with the Independents?"

Mal shrugged. "Seemed a good idea at the time. Events have since proven that thought wrong."

Beckett frowned, her mind working. "This ship…" Her eyes widened. "Oh, _lao tyen yeh_, Castle…You were there? Serenity Valley?"

He looked away as Zoe coughed. "Captain doesn't like to talk about it too much."

"And we're not starting now," Mal stated. "As for Wash's earlier inquiry…It stands for New York City Police Department. It's where she knew me as Richard Castle, author."

"Author?" Inara blurted.

"Mystery novelist, to be precise," Mal said.

Inara couldn't help but let out a long laugh and Zoe and Jayne weren't far behind her. "You? Writing?"

"Hey, I was good!" Mal defended himself. "Just found myself in a rut, needed a muse and so started to help out Beckett here."

"Help?" Beckett scoffed. "Please, you were an amateur messing around in our business!"

"Amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the _Titanic."_

"Well, actually, there was a consultant on the Ark…"

"Not now, Doctor."

"Excuse me?" Book spoke up. "Captain, when you say New York…do you mean…"

"New York City," Mal stated. "On Earth. 2011."

A very long silence echoed through the galley. Jayne lifted up his bottle to stare at it. "This stuff must be stronger than I thought…"

"Mal?" Wash piped up in a high voice. "Are you saying…"

"We're from the 21st century," Beckett stated. "I know, it's insane…"

"Actually, I believe it," the Doctor piped up.

"I somehow doubt you're the most sterling recommendation needed now, Doctor," the Rani dryly stated.

"Whoa, whoa…" Wash waved his hands. "How the hell did you…"

"I was following a lead," Mal began.

"You don't follow leads," Beckett snapped. "You're not a cop!"

"Neither are you, anymore," Mal fired back. "Anyway, was checking out a lead on a murder case, it led me to this garden area, I'm looking around, passing statues and next thing I know, I'm popping up on another planet ten years ago."

"You went missing, Alexis called me and-"

"Who's Alexis?" Simon asked.

"His daughter."

That got more than a few startled stares. "You got a kid, Mal?" Jayne exclaimed.

Reynolds waved it off. "Look, I found myself on a planet, realized it was the future, so decided to make the most of it, change my name and things sort of…moved on from there."

"I don't believe this," Simon muttered.

"I see your disbelief and raise you an utter denial," Wash intoned.

Beckett took up the tale. "So after Alexis called me, I went to that mansion, same garden with those stupid statues of the guy's and next thing I know, I'm on another planet in the future, just after that war they keep talking about." She shrugged. "So, no need for cops and frankly, the Alliance didn't sound too appealing so bounty hunting seemed the way to go."

Mal glanced at her with the hint of a wry smile. "Boba Fett or Man With No Name?"

Beckett rolled her eyes. "God, can't say I didn't miss those references."

"I don't believe any of this _ee da tuo da bien_," Jayne growled.

"As much as it pains me to say, I have to agree with Jayne," Simon said. "If you want us to believe you're actually from Earth-That-Was…"

"It wasn't a 'was" back then," Mal stated. "Just plain old Earth." He shrugged. "I know it had problems and all, still amazed me it got so bad we had to leave."

"And that, Captain, is just our quandary," the Doctor stated as he straightened up. "Because whatever history you may think you know, it's wrong."

The eyes all turned to him in confusion. "What do you mean?" Mal asked.

"I mean that in this particular time, Earth is very much alive and well," the Doctor stated, pacing about the area before the sink. "Quite a few inter-stellar colonies which can be reached by faster-than-life travel, which you strangely do not have. Which means that whatever you may believe happened to drive you all into space, did not happen." He continued to pace, rubbing his chin.

"Is he okay?" Kaylee asked the Rani.

"He's lost in thought as it's unfamiliar territory for him."

The Doctor paused in mid-step to look at Mal and Beckett. "Wait…a garden with statues, you said?" At their nods, he leaned forward intensely. "Eyes covered?"

"Well, wasn't really looking at them," Mal shrugged, Beckett also confused by the question.

The Doctor looked to the Rani, whose face was now growing concerned. "Is it possible?"

The Rani bit her lip. "They usually go another way."

"But it's the best explanation." The Doctor began marching to the door, tapping Mal and Beckett as he went. "You two. With us. Now."

"Hey, this is my boat!"

"No use arguing," the Rani said, coming up to give them a push. "Believe me, the man can be damn irritating until he gets what he wants." Before they knew it, Mal and Beckett were being pushed down to the main cargo bay where the Doctor was unlocking the TARDIS doors. "Come along, come along," he called out.

"Oh, no, I am not going to squeeze myself-" Beckett was cut off as the Rani pushed her and Mal through the doors into the TARDIS. She brushed past them as she moved to the main platform where the Doctor was already gathering some devices from a bench. "Remove your coats so we can get a clean scan," the Rani stated as she walked up the steps. "We need to know blood types, of course but otherwise we should be able to…"

She turned to see Mal and Beckett standing at the doorway staring at the inside of the TARDIS with open jaws. She turned to the Doctor. "Do people always have that reaction?"

"You get used to it," the Doctor answered as he pulled out a bulky scanner. "Here we go." He moved to the duo, who were still standing and staring in utter bafflement at the ship around them. "Ahem, I did ask for coats off?"

"What in the _tyen shiao-duh_…" Mal muttered.

"Oh, fine," the Doctor sighed as he raised a bulky device that let out a sharp beeping as it ran over both of them. They were startled as the beam flowed over their bodies, the Doctor backing up to study the readout. "Oh, dear. Oh, dear, dear, dear."

"What?" Beckett demanded, shaking off her shock at the TARDIS faster than Mal was. "What is it?"

The Doctor ignored her, moving to the Rani and showing her the scanner. She frowned deeply, biting her lip. "Damn, damn, damn."

"What?" Beckett yelled. "Dammit, what is it?"

The Doctor sighed. "The Weeping Angels."

"Huh?" Mal looked like he was rather used to that term coming out of his mouth a lot.

"The deadliest killers in the universe," the Rani informed him. "Mainly because they're so nice about it. They don't kill you straight away. They simply throw you back in time a few decades, let you live the rest of your life out while they subsist on the energies of time you would have had."

"You wouldn't have realized it," the Doctor continued. "It's their greatest strength. They're quantum locked, they can only move at lightning speed if you're not looking at them. It's why their eyes are always covered, so they don't see each other by mistake and remain frozen."

Beckett and Mal just stared at them in utter bafflement. "What the hell are you talking about?" Beckett demanded.

The Rani rubbed her forehead. "Please try to keep up. The Angels touched you and somehow, you ended up going far into the future instead of the past."

"Oh, sure, that explains everything," Beckett sarcastically said.

"Good," the Rani replied, evidentially not getting the sarcasm. She turned to the Doctor. "Although that doesn't explain how the Angels sent them to the future."

"Or why," the Doctor mused as he moved to the main console and flicked some switches. The Rani raised an eyebrow. "You're taking them back?"

"Back?" Mal asked. "Back where?"

"It's a time machine as well as a spacecraft," the Rani said as if it was common knowledge.

"Are you kidding me?"

The Rani slowly spread her hands out. "You're from the 21st century, you arrive in the 26th, you're standing in a box a thousand times bigger on the inside than it is on the outside and you're beginning your disbelief now?"

"She raises a point," Mal noted.

Beckett moved forward. "Wait…you can get us back? Back home?"

"Well, we could if we would but I highly suspect we can't so we won't."

"Huh?"

The Rani gave a tiny smile. "Sorry but if there's one thing I know about the Doctor, it's that nothing is that easy."

"Oh, hell," the Doctor muttered.

"You see what I mean?" The Rani moved to join the Doctor, seeing him fiddling with a switch, moving it up and down. "What's wrong?"

"Can't get a proper lock," the Doctor replied. He examined a scanner and his frown deepened. "In fact…I can't access the time flows at all."

"That's not possible," the Rani said, pushing him aside to adjust the scanner. "Even if we can't take off, we should at least be able to track them if we need to." She eyed a readout and shook her head. "This…this shouldn't be possible, it's as if someone put a massive block on this entire sector of the galaxy, time and space." She looked up with concern. "Meaning we can't get out of this general area."

The Doctor rubbed his chin. "Curiouser and curiouser…" He looked to Beckett and Mal, who were just staring at them. "Sorry. We need to look into this a bit further." He moved to the door, opening it to reveal the entire crew standing outside. Zoe and Simon were up front, both of their eyes widening as they saw the massive interior of the TARDIS. "_Tyen-sah_," Zoe whispered. "What is that?"

The Rani brushed past her, following the Doctor as Beckett and Castle came behind them, the Doctor locking the TARDIS door. "All right," he announced. "For the moment, we are forced to stay with you all, which gives us time to figure out both the mystery of why we're stuck here and how to solve the quandary regarding Detective Beckett and Mr…Castle, I believe it was?"

"Reynolds," Mal snapped. "And right now, I don't give a damn about what you mean with time and space and all that. I care about my boat and my crew not getting carved up by Reavers, not to mention the money we just lost with that deal."

Beckett stared at him. "Since when have you cared so much about money?"

"Since my wealth due to writing faded when I got here."

"You were rich?" Inara asked in disbelief.

"That so hard to believe?"

"Well…" Inara looked at his rugged outfit. "Frankly, yes."

Beckett just glared at Mal. "Hey, I lost some cash there too, not to mention bringing in some wanted murderers!"

"Well, they've no doubt been carved up by now so justice is served," Mal shrugged.

Beckett blinked, obviously thrown by his callous attitude. "What the hell happened to you, Castle?"

"Life," Mal said as he turned and started to walk toward the stairs leading to the rampway. "I need a nap, don't wake me for four hours or the ship crashing, whichever comes first."

"What about her?" Jayne nodded to Beckett.

"She can share with Kaylee."

"Um, captain?" Kaylee piped up. "I sleep in the engine room."

The Rani stared at her. "There is something deeply wrong with you."

"The whore has insight," Jayne growled.

The Rani's head snapped toward him so fast, the group swore they heard the wind whip around it. "What was that?" she spat out with venom the Doctor knew only too well.

"What?" Jayne shrugged. "Just what you are."

"Oh, drat," the Doctor muttered, closing his eyes. "This is not going to go well."

The Rani moved slowly toward Jayne, Kaylee, Simon, River and Book stepping out of her way as she paced to him. Jayne looked a bit nervous but still not backing down as the Rani calmly pulled out a tube of lipstick. She twisted the cap and placed it on Jayne's neck. He instantly howled before collapsing on the ground, shaking and twitching about while the Rani nonchalantly placed the tube back into her jacket.

"The hell?" Mal snapped.

"Relax, wears off soon," the Rani stated. "Not that he doesn't deserve it."

"What, for calling you what you are?" Wash instantly regretted his words as the Rani whirled on him and backed up. "Sorry, sorry but, I mean, you're a Companion."

"Excuse me?"

"It's what he called you," Wash nodded to the Doctor. "His Companion."

"She is," The Doctor said.

"I'm a Companion," Inara said as if it explained everything.

The Rani stared. "Excuse me?"

"A Companion," Inara stated, now uncertain. "Specially trained to provide…pleasure for those in need. That's what you do, don't you?"

"I am most certainly not a Companion!" the Rani indignantly yelled.

"She's my companion," the Doctor stated.

"So she is a Companion," Simon said.

"Yes but she's not a Companion-companion, she's merely my companion."

"So, she's not a Companion like Inara but just a companion of a friend?" Kaylee asked. "Or is she a Companion who's also a companion although she's not an official Companion?"

The Rani rubbed her temples. "I'm in a bad Gilbert and Sullivan play."

The Doctor was glancing about with a frown. "Strange, where did our host go?"

* * *

Mal was walking down the hall to his room, already pulling his coat off. He heard the sound of boots behind him before Zoe called out. "Sir?"

"Not now, Zoe," he said. "I'm tired and worn out and really not in a mood to talk."

"Tough shit, sir," Zoe stated, marching behind him. "Because I think I'm dammed well entitled to some answers."

"Funny thing about the world 'entitled.' It never means the same thing to different people." Mal opened the door to his cabin. "It can wait, Zoe, I need a shower and-"

"Dammit, Mal, turn around!"

He did with surprise. He could count on one hand the number of times Zoe had called him by his first name since they had gotten _Serenity._ His long-time second officer had a stern expression as she stepped forward. "I have followed you through thick and thin," she hissed. "Since that _gou pi_ at Serenity Valley. We have bled together, gotten drunk together, closer in some ways than me and Wash. Yet you never, ever told me any of this. Told me the truth of who you are." Her eyes narrowed. "I don't kin to being lied to, Mal."

"What was I supposed to do, Zoe?" he fired back. "Tell the truth? Would you have believed it?"

"Maybe not," she allowed. "Not certain I believe it now. But the fact remains, you know almost everything about me yet you keep this to yourself? Richard Castle of the 21st century? A life on Earth-that-was?"

"That's not me," Mal softly replied, looking down. "Not anymore."

Zoe shook her head. "God, Mal…or Castle…Why keep this quiet? Why not come clean with your real name, be this Castle…"

"Richard Castle…" Mal snorted before looking up at her with a hard gaze. "You want to know who Richard Castle was, Zoe? Fine. Richard Castle was a fool. A kid who never fully grew up, who threw himself into writing about a life of excitement because it was fun for him, who cracked jokes over dead bodies. When he found himself in the future, he didn't freak out as much as you'd like, he saw it as a great adventure, a sci-fi extravaganza. It's why he joined the Independents, he saw it as the classic case of the good guys raising against the evil Empire. Real, live _Star Wars_, too good to resist, maybe even write a few books about it."

His face hardened. "Then he saw what war was like. He saw good men dying over little reason, took bad hits himself and knew it wasn't as fun as he'd hoped. But it was a good cause, he knew that in his heart, it drove him on and he was so damn sure we'd win because we were right, they were wrong. It's how it worked on Earth so often, it's how it worked in his books, it had to work here."

He wiped a hand through his hair. "And then came Serenity Valley. Then he saw how cruel God can be, how it doesn't matter who's right, it matters who's got the most guns. He finally grew the hell up and knew that to survive, you had to put away childish things. And that meant putting away Richard Castle."

Mal backed up, a hand on the door. "So that's why I never told you about him, Zoe. Cause there's nothing to tell. That man is gone and never coming back and I don't want to hear him discussed much longer in my earshot. Let the past stay buried, Zoe. Trust me, I know how bad it is to go 'round digging it up."

The door shut as Zoe stared at it, visibly jarred. All these years later, she could still remember the look on Mal's face when he heard the Independents were surrendering, that no help was coming. She remembered the expression when he saw the Alliance ships come in, a man whose faith had been shattered to pieces. All this time, she'd known something had died in Mal Reynolds that day. But for the first time, she realized it wasn't a what…it was a who.

She shook her head as she slowly walked off, lost in thought and thus failed to see Kate Beckett leaning on the hull behind her, staring at the cabin door, her own mind whirling as she suddenly realized the man she thought she'd known so well was now a stranger.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Secrets of Serenity**

**By Michael Weyer**

* * *

It had taken a while for Kate Beckett to get used to space travel. As a longtime New Yorker, a plane trip at all had been rare, let alone in outer space. She steadied herself as she walked the halls of the ship, finally coming to the kitchen. It was difficult to tell "day" and "night" in space but apparently, it was late, the only person in the galley Zoe. The black woman looked up at Beckett for a moment before going back to her meal. After a pause, Kate walked in to look through the shelves.

"Ain't got much now," Zoe stated. "We didn't get the planned supplies back in town."

Kate picked through the shelves before coming across a bag of chips. She opened it to place a few in her mouth, munching on them.

"So…you knew him as Castle."

Beckett turned to Zoe, the woman's face expressionless. "I did."

Zoe was quiet, tapping her fingers on the table. "He don't talk about it much. As in, at all. Never discussed his past, certainly nothing like the truth."

"Castle always had a way about himself when it came to the truth," Beckett noted. She poured a cup of coffee as she moved to the table, sitting across from Zoe. They were silent, each studying the other carefully. The cop and the soldier, each used to sizing someone else up in moments and were doing that now. Beckett could tell right off this woman was a professional in so many ways yet much of her veneer was more attitude than real coldness. After all, Castle wasn't the type to put up with a partner who dominated him too much.

"He never mentioned having a daughter," Zoe finally broke the silence.

"Alexis," Beckett answered, sipping her coffee and frowning at its harsh taste. "Great kid, smart, funny, she might be in college now."

Zoe raised an eyebrow. "Might be?"

Kate shrugged. "Old habit. When I found myself here, I got to thinking of how it wasn't for good, I could find a way back. So I keep thinking of things in New York as still around."

"Hard to imagine the captain putting up with anyone long enough to have a kid."

"So, he's not married here?"

"Once. Well, not really, bit of a tale to tell there."

Kate looked at her. "You and he…"

Zoe actually laughed. "Nah. Just…friends. Man stood by me in tough times as I did with him. Been through hell and back together, just can't let that go."

"I know," Kate softly said.

It was Zoe's turn to study her. "So…you and he…"

"No," Kate chuckled. "No, not like that."

Zoe just watched her carefully. "Always felt there was someone in his life he'd left behind. Someone special. He never touched on it too much but it was always there."

"He's…different. I can see that. Colder."

"War is hell and they always said Hell was really cold."

"He used to smile a lot," Beckett noted, her eyes on the table. "He used to laugh and joke."

"Ain't much to joke about out here." Zoe sipped her drink. "He did smile a lot more. Before Serenity Valley. Mal's problem was…he was a believer."

"That hasn't changed."

Zoe acted like she didn't hear Kate. "So when, after two months of hell, he finds out they're giving up…It broke him. Broke him bad and he still hasn't gotten over it."

Beckett nodded at that. She looked up to see Zoe leaning forward. "He trusts you so you can stay on this boat. But you hurt him and you and me are going to have words, _dong mah?"_

Kate didn't back down, returning Zoe's glare. "Just stay out my way and we won't have trouble."

Zoe's lips smirked upward. "You're new to the boat, else you'd know that trouble has a way of always finding us."

"Then maybe he hasn't changed all that much after all."

* * *

The lab wasn't that large but the Rani had made do with less. She sat at the main table, bent over to peer through the microscope as she studied the cell samples before her. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the structure of the cells before her. She let out a long sigh as she recognized what she was afraid she would find. "Damn," she whispered. "I was right." She straightened up and rubbed her eyes. "It's my curse, I'm always right."

"You made them, didn't you?"

The Rani didn't turn but could see the Doctor leaning on the doorway and looking at her with that damned somber stare of his. She calmly kept her back to him as she placed the cell sample to the side. "I had my suspicions. I just needed to make sure."

The Doctor walked in, calmly pacing as he looked to her. "So….what, you were just bored one day and decided creating a race of homicidal maniacs would be just the thing to brighten it up?"

"It wasn't intentional," the Rani snapped. She rubbed her temples. "It was on a planet called Marinda, some human colony. I was re-working one of the experiments I had been performing in 19th century Earth, that time we met with the Master." The Doctor nodded, remembering the encounter. "I decided to test the limits of that damned human trait for violence. I released an aerosol into the atmosphere, meant to affect certain brain patterns pertaining to violence. It was intended to weed out aggression, make them more…pacified."

She looked at the Doctor, expecting him to say something but he just kept staring at her. The Rani continued. "It worked. Crime went down first. Then, simple fights ended, then arguments. It did work well, the people stopped fighting." She brushed back her hair. "Then, they stopped going to work. Stopped fighting. Stopped…eating." She rubbed her eyes. "I still can't be sure what it was, maybe an atmospheric shift, something in their body chemistry I never counted on, a quirk of the planet's minerals…Suffice to say, before I realized it, a population of thirty million people simply lost the will to…anything. No one manned power plants, fires broke out and they just sat there in their homes, letting it burn around them. They lay in the streets and starved, they dropped where they stood, they…"

The Doctor knew of her past, of course. He knew the damage she had done. But to listen to the Rani matter of factly discuss how she had, inadvertedly or not, committed genocide on an entire population just for some experiment turned the Doctor's stomach. But then, after what happened in the Time War, was he in any position to truly judge her.

If the Rani noticed his disapproving silence, she didn't show it. "However, in ten percent of the population, the opposite effect took hold. They became more aggressive, outrageously so. Feral in many respects, wanting nothing more than to unleash their violent nature in any way they saw fit."

"So you unleashed a pack of raving psychopaths onto a population unable to fight back." Every word was calm but laced with icy accusation that bordered on venom.

The Rani shrugged. "I never said I had a perfect track record."

The Doctor leaned on a table. "Rani…you ignored any sense whatsoever of ethics just to fulfill your own desires. How is that any different than the worst of dictators?"

She rolled her eyes. "Good God, you can be dark. And I've had dinner with Virginia Woolfe."

"This isn't a laughing matter, Rani."

"I know," she snapped, looking back to the microscope. "I knew it was out of control and I was planning on sterilizing the planet. But…well, let's just say that's when a mercenary group hired by the survivors of another experiment tracked me down and I had to leave fast."

The Doctor stared at her. "And you…have no issue what that?"

"My conscience is clear."

"A clear conscience is a sign of a bad memory. It's no excuse, Rani."

"Well, a lovely side benefit of not having morals is that I don't need excuses."

The Doctor pursed his lips. "So these…Reavers of yours got together to leave the planet and continue their marauding ways."

"That is the key problem," the Rani said, leaning back in her chair. "These beings are intelligent, no doubt about it. But their savagery overcomes the common sense. Their every waking moment is driven by the urge to kill and main and such. Running a spaceship for raids, all right. But being able to organize enough to take to the stars off a ruined planet?" She shook her head. "Something else had to be driving them."

"The puppeteer."

The Rani and the Doctor both turned to see River in the doorway, the young woman gazing at them solemnly. "He's pulled the strings for years. He's pulled them long and hard, the threads wrapping to form his own picture. A picture that has fooled everyone for so long." She looked to the Doctor. "But now…you may be able to shatter his vision once and for all."

"River," Simon called out as he entered the room. "Come back to your room."

"It's all right, Simon," she told him. "He's going to fix it. He'll put us back in our proper frame." She smiled before slinking out of the room, her brother watching her go with a sad expression.

"What happened to her?" the Doctor asked gently.

Simon sighed. "She was a genius. Truly, one of a kind. So much so that our parents sent her to a special academy. What they did there…they cut into her mind, they tortured her, warped her…They took out what made her so great just to open up her mind-reading abilities."

"She's a telepath?" the Rani said, her interest peaked.

Simon nodded. "Yes. But now…She's not what she was. And I worry what else they've done with her."

"Yes, experimenting on the minds of the innocent." The Doctor gave the Rani a fixed look. She refused to rise to the bait, however, simply turning back to her work. The Doctor simply sighed as he walked out, feeling the annoyance once more of dealing with such a difficult woman.

* * *

Somehow, Mal wasn't surprised to find Shephard Book waiting for him outside his cabin. Annoyed but not surprised. He did his best to just ignore the elder man as he walked out, adjusting his coat around him as he marched on but could hear Book's footsteps behind him. "Not in the mood, Preacher."

"Which quite often, is the perfect mood," Book said in his calm tone.

"Not planning to talk it out."

"You should. You need to tell someone."

"Need is one of those things that varies on perspective, Preacher."

"Perhaps," Book noted, picking up his pace to match Mal. "But I can tell when a soul needs to be unburdened, Captain."

"My soul lost what burdens it had a long time back, Book."

Book was silent for a moment before speaking. "Your daughter. What was she like?"

Mal stopped in place, turning to fix Book with a cold gaze. "This is not a topic you want to tread on, Book. Trust me on that."

Book just stared back. "So you keep it locked away? All of your past, just put aside so it can't touch you? It doesn't work like that, Mal."

"Oh, really?" Mal cocked his head. "Then why don't you come clean on your own past?" Book was taken aback but Mal pushed forward. "Come on, Preacher, I know you weren't always a holy man. Or a good one. You got some past with the Alliance. So if you want to clear the air, just look in the mirror and start."

Book's face was impassive but Mal saw a flash of anger in his eyes that gave him a slight bit of foreboding. "It's not me we're discussing here, Mal. It's you. Your past and your future."

"Past is that for a reason, Preacher," Mal said as he turned to walk away. "Best to just leave it like that."

"Until it comes back," Book called after him. "And it always will, Mal. Trust me on that. Especially when it's a person."

"She's just a passenger, nothing more right now."

Book sighed. "Mal….trust me when I say this. Do not. I mean it, do. Not. Let someone that good slip by you." The way he spoke, more warm than usual, made Mal pause and look back at him. "I learned that one the hard way a very long time ago. You don't want to listen, fine. But never think me an old fool, Mal. I've got wisdom from harsh experience, harsher than you can ever imagine."

Mal frowned, taken aback at the emotion in Book's voice. "Some might say you need a look in the mirror when you deliver a speech like that."

"Maybe try it yourself."

Mal just turned to walk on as Book sighed before following. Mal made his way to the head of the ship as Wash was in the pilot's seat. "How far off?"

"About an hour," his pilot replied. "Buzz on the feeders is all about the latest attack, few others are heading to the same spot for supplies."

"We'll try and make do as we can," Mal stated. He was about to speak more when the Doctor entered. "Ah, Captain, we need to talk."

"Oh, what now?" Mal groaned. The Doctor didn't seem to notice as he continued. "Captain, I must insist we make a stop somewhere?"

"Where? And don't think my asking that question is an acquiesce to you."

"Acquiesce?" Wash frowned. "Damn, you really were a writer."

"Captain," the Doctor continued. "Where exactly we stop off isn't that important. What is important is that I need to find out more about this particular region of space and somewhere with a proper communication center should be a help."

"And I should do this for what reason?"

"I can pay you."

"A fair reason as ever. In what?"

The Doctor just looked at him. "I can let you see your daughter again."

A very long silence echoed in the room, the cracking of Mal's jaw setting quite loud. "Might be better off without seeing me again," he finally spat.

The Doctor simply stared at him. "I have lost far more than you can possibly imagine, Captain," he softly said. "And you cannot tell me that you would not wish a chance to get some of that back."

Mal was quiet before glancing at Wash. "How much longer?"

"About an hour," his pilot replied.

Mal looked to the Doctor. "We'll be docking soon at Beaumonde for supplies and some repairs. We should find what you need there." He leaned in, his face hard. "And you best make it easy or I'll kick you, your friend and that freaky box of yours off my boat fast as I can."

The Doctor smiled. "See, I knew we could be sensible about this!" He turned to leave, leaving the crew glancing at each other once more in confusion.

* * *

The Rani was leaving the lab, sliding her vest back onto her when she saw Inara nearby. "Sorry about the confusion earlier," the Companion smoothly said.

"Apologies are unnecessary," the Rani shrugged. "They're useless, actually."

Inara kept in step with her. "So you and the Doctor aren't…."

"Decidedly not," the Rani snapped. "And no chance of ever being that way, I can assure you."

"I can understand that," Inara said. "Although you never can tell with people."

"Yes, you and your captain are interesting in that degree."

Inara sniffed. "We're just….a working relationship."

"Really?" the Rani remarked. "So you're not at all upset about this Beckett entering the picture?"

"Should I be?"

The Rani shook her head. "Humans. You can be so damned filled with denial. How the Doctor puts up you lot, I'll never know."

Inara frowned and was about task about the use of the word "humans" when Beckett came from a corridor nearby. She stopped to look at Inara, glancing her over. "Companion."

"Indeed," Inara stated. "And you were….a cop?"

"Yes," Kate replied.

"Hmmm," Inara said as they walked. "Explains some of the attitude then."

"In my time, we locked women like you up."

"Charming," Inara smiled. "I actually always thought I'd work out well on Earth-That-Was. Maybe build my own business."

"Yes, I can see you scamming a few hearts and wallets," Kate sardonically stated.

Inara narrowed her eyes. "So you and Mal have a history."

"We do," Kate sighed. "Just debating how ancient it is now."

"You're together now, that's no longer ancient."

"We're not together," Kate immediately said.

"Good." At Kate's look, Inara quickly added. "I mean, the captain has so many distractions already, hard to imagine another."

Walking between them, the Rani rolled her eyes. "Oh, spare me."

The other two women looked at her. "Excuse me?" they asked in unison.

"The two couldn't be more obvious if you'd tried, and I'd appreciate if you wouldn't. You both clearly have feelings for Castle or Reynolds, however you call him and pretending you don't dislike each other for it is just fooling yourselves. And I never suffer fools gladly."

She walked past them both, marching forward toward the cockpit as Kate and Inara exchanged baffled looks.

* * *

Beaumonde was the standard docking station for the region. A dozen ships were around, undergoing fueling and some repairs. The city was a plethora of shops and clubs, dirtier than the others and catering to a certain type of clientele. The crew of _Serenity_ fit into that as Mal was placing some guns into a bin at a club before leading the group down the stairs into the main area. The Doctor and the Rani followed them, both doing their best not to show open disdain at the surroundings. "You always take me to the most charming spots," the Rani dryly stated.

"Now, now, the place has character," the Doctor said as they passed an obviously drunk man falling off a stool.

"Takes one to know one," the Rani muttered.

Beckett was moving behind Mal. "What are we doing here, Ca-Mal?"

"Just need to do some checking," Mal replied. "You can all hang back, grab a drink or two, shouldn't take too long." He began walking toward a rear area of the bar with Zoe behind him before realizing Kate was also tagging along. "Excuse me, I just said…"

"Castle, in our long history together, exactly what makes you think I'm letting you out of my sight and thinking you won't get into trouble?"

"Might be better to have an extra hand, sir," Zoe pointed out.

"Now, Zoe, we're going to handle this in peace."

"Would that being living in it or resting in it, sir?"

Mal just moved back to the area at the end of the bar, brushing past a beaded curtain to a comfortable area that retained much of the Chinese furnishings of the town. A pair of men in dark suits stood at the sides, arms crossed with stern expressions. Sitting on the couch before them were a pair of twins, each smiling warmly with slicked-back hair and matching dark suits. "Mal," the one on the left said. "Good to see you again."

"Fanty," Mal returned.

"He's Fanty," the man nodded to his twin.

"Nope, he's Mingo, you're Fanty," Mal corrected. "He's the pretty one."

Both men smiled thinly at that. "Cute," Fanty said. "So, Mal, let me guess, you have some merchandise you suddenly need to off-load?"

"Take it you heard of our little setback?"

"Reaver attack isn't exactly quiet news," Mingo said, lounging back in his seat. He glanced over Mal's shoulder to see Beckett. "And well, well, you and Beckett hooked up?"

Mal arched an eyebrow at Kate, who just shrugged. "Go where the work is, you know that."

Mal turned back to the brothers. "Look, I got a full case of ore load, I know you two can move it, just need a good price for it."

"Hmmm," Fanty said, stroking his chin. "Maybe we should discuss this in private."

"For the record, has there ever been a good conversation that came following that certain set of words?" Mal asked to no one in particular.

* * *

"I knew Sarte," the Rani announced as she leaned on the bar upon her stool.

"Jean-Paul?" the Doctor asked.

"Yes," the Rani confirmed. "Interesting man, for an Earthling. He let me see an early draft of _No Exit. _I didn't understand it much then but I believe I do now."

The Doctor just mused it over as he took a sip of his drink. He saw Kaylee and Simon at a nearby table, the mechanic eagerly talking while the doctor just took it in. Jayne was downing a third glass of his own but something told the Doctor he could handle it. Wash and Book were on a supply run while Inara was back at her shuttle. That left the Time Lords to look over the bizarre tableau before them.

"We should be looking for a transmission station of some sort," the Rani stated.

"Oh, I am." The Doctor was lifting up his sonic screwdriver, moving it over one of the various holographic television screens situated around the bar. "I just feel it better not to go the obvious route."

"Or the easiest."

The Doctor ignored her. "This should be giving us a good way to see how far these worlds spread, get a better view of what's going on." He sipped his drink and sighed. "Ah, coffee, the elixir of thought."

The Rani rubbed her temples. "A place with one of those dishes would give you much more."

"Soon, soon," the Doctor intoned. "As I said, better not to stand out just yet."

The Rani was shaking her head as she glanced toward River. The young woman was wandering aimlessly around the bar in a long coat she'd borrowed from the ship. Her eyes were wide, taking in everything with a blank expression. She was moving to the center of the bar when the screen flickered with a commercial, some bizarre energy drink the Rani couldn't quite understand. Yet something in its design made her sit right up in her seat. "Doctor."

"Something's happening," the Doctor frowned as he looked at the screen before him. "Something is coming over the signals."

"Doctor!" The Rani's hiss got his attention and he turned in his seat to see River standing transfixed before the screen, the lights flickering across her eyes. "What is…"

"Subliminal message transfer," the Rani stated. "Very high-set, specific for a certain target."

The commercial faded for another. As soon as it did, River slowly turned around, sliding the coat off her and began walking forward. "Oh, no," the two Time Lords said in unison, both instinctively backing up as they realized what was likely to happen.

River marched forward and with no hesitation, lashed a high kick into the face of a burly man before her. He fell back as she launched a chop into the head of another, instantly sending the bar into chaos. Several people moved toward River but the girl moved with stunning speed, running up and doing a somersault in mid-air to kick a couple down. One man grabbed at her from behind and she lashed a foot back to smack him in the head, then leapt to the stairs to knock down a couple trying to escape.

The curtain pulled back to let Mal, Zoe, Beckett and the Sanchez Brothers stare at the madness. _"Ai ya hwai leh!" _Zoe gasped out.

"You know that girl?" Fanty asked.

"No, I can surely say I do not," was all Mal could intone as he saw what was happening.

"River!" Kaylee called out as she moved in. "What are-" That was as far as she got before a foot smacked into her nose. Kaylee stood stock-still, a baffled look on her face before collapsing to a heap, Simon just managing to catch her. "River!" he yelled. "Eta-"

Whatever he might have said was lost as a beer bottle aimed at River managed to smash into the back of his head, causing him to collapse onto Kaylee. Jayne brushed past a pair of brawlers, knocking their heads together before grabbing River from behind. "Okay, little girl, no idea what just set you off but enough of the _gou pi."_

River launched her foot back, nailing Jayne right between the legs. To his credit, he didn't do much more than flinch, holding her tight. However, another kick was enough to loosen the grip and let her slip out. She pounded both fists into his stomach to double Jayne over then grabbed a nearby tray to smash him on the head.

A gunshot echoed and River spun around to see Kate on the stairs, having grabbed her gun from the nearby lockbox. The cop was professional as she aimed it at River's knees. "Don't try it," she snapped. "I don't want to hurt you but if you don't cut this _luh-suh,_ I will put one through your kneecap."

Years on the streets of New York had built a sixth sense of danger for Beckett. More years on the frontiers of space had just improved it. So she would have a difficult time later explaining how, in the blink of an eye, she was flying down the stairs, landing in a very painful heap with a pounding of a boot at her head and her gun in River's hand.

The girl whirled about, the gun aimed right at Mal, who had just exited the back room. He froze, hands up, gauging with little success his chances of escape. The irony wasn't lost on him in the least. After all he'd been through in New York to the war, Serenity Valley and countless scrapes in his line of work, to be shot dead by a crazy sixteen-year-old in a run-down dive on another planet was never in his top ten.

The Doctor was there. How, Mal had no idea but he was, grabbing the gun and wrapping an arm around River's. She launched her other fist but with amazing agility, the Doctor managed to grab it, wrapping her arms about and then leaning back, a foot behind her leg to trip her up. River was still fighting as they rolled on the ground before the Doctor managed to get them into a kneeling position." Anytime here!" he called out.

The Rani was calmly moving forward, nonchalantly going through what looked like a set of tiny vials on a key chain. She picked one out, pressing on it to allow a small needle to emerge. She pressed it onto River's neck, the girl instantly falling into an unconscious heap in the Doctor's arms. "Venusian akido," the Doctor intoned as he let her go. "Always comes in handy."

"The hell was that?" Beckett groaned as she got back to her feet.

"Just a quick shot of solabuide," the Rani stated. "She'll recover in good shape, provided she's not allergic to eggs, it can get rather nasty then…"

"I meant, what caused the ballerina to lose it and turn into Michelle Yeoh?"

"Figure that out later," Mal said. "Right now, Zoe, try to get Jayne and what's left of his dignity off the floor, Kate, you help me with the doc and Kaylee. Our guests can handle River." He glanced at the unconscious Simon. "At which point, I do believe our resident doctor is going to have some talking to make regarding his dear sister."

They began moving as the Rani glanced to the Doctor. "Someone sent that message out to that girl. For right here, right now."

The Doctor was calm as he helped her lift the unconscious River up. "I'm aware."

"You realize what that means."

"We appear to have made someone very upset."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Because we just made someone very upset. Which means we're on the right track."

"I have never known anyone who can make vagueness sound so terrifying."

* * *

The image of the two carrying River was frozen on the screen in front of the man. Numbers ran about as the scanners within the system ran through the images, coming up with bio-readings far different than anyone else in the bar or, for that matter, on the planet. A small window showed the text the microphones of the screens had caught up, allowing the man to read what had been said.

"Doctor," he whispered. "Well, well, it has been so very long since we last played." He wrapped his gloved hands together as he leaned back in his chair, taking a moment to spin it and admire the hundreds of screens covering the room, showing every facet of every planet known to this particular brand of humans. "Oh, the game truly has become afoot then."

He laughed long and loud as he realized he was finally about to face a worthy opponent.

* * *

**So let the speculation begin, all comments welcomed. **


End file.
